22. What is unjust to a social egalitarian will also be unjust to a libertarian.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
False
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
23. From a Kantian perspective, for an action to be moral, it must be possible for it to be made into a universal law and
it must be respectful of the autonomy and rationality of all human beings.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
24. Under a Kantian approach to ethics, a person should not lie to colleagues unless that person supports the right of all
colleagues to lie to one another.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER:
True
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Application
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
25. Harvard philosopher, Robert Nozick, stressed liberty, not justice, as the most important obligation that society owes its
members.

36. If a Middle Eastern culture and the American culture differ as to the morality of a particular action, under ethical
relativism:
a. both cultures are correct.
b. the action should be assessed to determine whether the action produces more net pleasure compared with
net pain.
c. a cost-benefit analysis should be conducted to determine the relative economic efficiency of the action.
d. the action should be viewed through a “veil of ignorance” to determine whether it is ethical.
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Application
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Reflective Thinking
37. Which of the following best describes the libertarian social ethics theory?
a. Libertarians stress market outcomes as the basis for distributing society's rewards.
b. Libertarians encourage social control over all people in order to design an equitable society.
c. Libertarians believe it is just for society to take wealth earned by some citizens and distribute it to those
who did not directly earn it.
d. The fact that some people end up with fortunes while others are poor proves only that absolute power
corrupts absolutely.
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
38. True cost-benefit analysis as a social theory,

a. only measures monetary gains and losses in making business decisions.
b. compares direct and indirect costs and benefits of program alternatives for meeting a specific goal.
c. is another theory that judges persons' actions by what those persons believe is right for themselves.
d. emphasizes justice and a central moral authority.
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
39. The ethical theory that underlies cost-benefit analysis is:
a. libertarianism.
b. deontology.
c. utilitarianism.
d. ethical relativism.
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
40. Which of the following is not a corporate characteristic?
a. A relatively small number of corporations own the great bulk of U.S. industrial wealth.
b. The great majority of publicly held corporations have audit committees consisting entirely of outside directors.
c. The board of directors of the majority of publicly held U.S. corporations consist mainly or entirely of inside
directors.
d. Corporate governance requirements on publicly held corporations have been imposed by federal legislation.
ANSWER:c
POINTS:1
DIFFICULTY:Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Responsibilities of Business
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
41. An ethical decision-making approach that relies on a central authority or set of rules, such as the Koran or the Bible,

44. The ethical theory of intuitionism proposes that:
a. the power of an individual to assess the rightness or wrongness of decisions is as basic to human beings as the
instinct for survival.
b. market outcomes should be the basis for distributing goods.
c. the "veil of ignorance" should be developed to consider the needs and rights of all society's members.
d. society should stress equality of opportunity, not results.
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
45. In what way or ways are situational ethics and ethical relativism similar?
a. They both look to a central authority or set of rules to guide ethical decision-making.
b. They both assess each separate act according to whether it maximizes pleasure over pain.
c. They both judge actions from the perspective of the actor.
d. All of these.
ANSWER:
c
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
46. To a __________ , whether telling a lie in a given instance would produce greater pleasure than telling the truth is less
important than deciding if a general practice of lying would maximize society's pleasure.
a. deontologist
b. rule utilitarian
c. ethical fundamentalist
d. ethical relativist
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Reflective Thinking

47. How does Immanuel Kant's approach to ethical decision-making differ from that of an ethical fundamentalist?
a. Kant's approach is premised on the rationality of human beings and not on principles handed down from
above.
b. Kant's approach stresses liberty and not justice.
c. Kant's approach judges society in moral terms by how it distributes goods and services.
d. Kant's approach assesses each separate act according to whether it maximizes pleasure over pain.
ANSWER:a
POINTS:1
DIFFICULTY:Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
48. Critics of business offer all but which of the following arguments to support their contention that business must help
resolve societal problems?
a. Social contract.
b. The more responsibly companies act, the less government must regulate them.
c. Involvement in social causes makes good business sense.
d. Expertise.
ANSWER:
d
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Responsibilities of Business
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Evaluation
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
49. Under which ethical system would it be ethical to compel a few citizens to undergo painful or fatal medical tests in
order to develop cures for the rest of the world?
a. Utilitarianism.
b. Ethical fundamentalism.
c. Distributive justice.
d. Libertarianism.
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories

KEYWORDS:
OTHER:

Bloom’s: Comprehension
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic

50. The definition of business ethics includes which of the following points?
a. It is a branch of applied ethics.
b. It is fully codified in federal statutes.
c. It has a central authority and universal standards.
d. It is based on maximizing profits for a business.
ANSWER:
a
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Law versus Ethics
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
51. A major criticism of utilitarianism as an ethical theory is that:
a. it is rigid.
b. in some important instances it ignores justice.
c. it results in the judgment that a person’s actions are always moral for that person and therefore exempt from
punishment.
d. it is excessively formal.
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
52. Which arguments oppose business involvement in socially responsible activities?
a. Lack of corporate focus on profitability.
b. Unfairness to company employees and shareholders.
c. Lack of accountability.
d. All of these.
ANSWER:
d
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Responsibilities of Business

KEYWORDS:
OTHER:

Bloom’s: Comprehension
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic

53. Nineteen-year-old Martin was raised in a good, Christian home and attended parochial school through eighth grade.
Martin is a good student and citizen who conforms to the expectations of his church, family, and peers. He does so
because he loves his family and church, is loyal to them, and trusts them. Under Kohlberg's schematic analysis, Martin is
most likely at what stage of moral development?
a. Pre-conventional.
b. Conventional.
c. Post-conventional.
d. Adult.
b
ANSWER:
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Standards in Business
Bloom’s: Application
KEYWORDS:
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Reflective Thinking
54. Which of the following is a common criticism of deontological ethical theories?
a. They are excessively pragmatic.
b. They are rigid and excessively formal.
c. They only consider actions by their motives.
d. They fail to consider universal principles.
b
ANSWER:
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Comprehension
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
OTHER:

55. Which of the following is a common criticism of ethical relativism?
a. It promotes open-mindedness and tolerance.
b. It assumes that a person's actions are always correct for that person, but if that is true, then all behavior is,
by definition, moral.
c. It is rigid and excessively formal.
d. It is too judgmental.
ANSWER:
b
POINTS:
1
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02

57. An auto designer chooses to devote his efforts to design an automobile that is the safest vehicle possible. He does so
because he wishes to save lives and prevent disabling injuries. He believes he and his employer have a duty to provide
the public with the safest possible vehicle. The designer's approach to ethical decision-making is best characterized as:
a. utilitarian.
b. deontological.
c. ethically relative.
d. ethically fundamental.
b
ANSWER:
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
Bloom’s: Application
KEYWORDS:
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Reflective Thinking
58. Social egalitarians believe:
a. the ends justifies the means.
b. society should provide each person with equal amounts of goods and services regardless of the
contribution each makes to increase society's wealth.
c. society should divide wealth based on each person's contribution.
d. that if persons wish to act morally, they should emulate those in the society who always seem to do the
right thing.
ANSWER:
b

59. Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, said the capitalistic system was composed of six institutions, which include all
but which of the following?
a. Economic motivation.
b. Free enterprise.
c. Labor.
d. Limited government.
ANSWER:
c
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Responsibilities of Business
Bloom’s: Synthesis
KEYWORDS:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
OTHER:
60. A factor demanding the ethical and social responsibility of business is:
a. the "invisible hand" of competition.
b. the sheer size and power of individual corporations.
c. the fact that self-regulation has been effective in achieving social goals.
d. great amounts of wealth and economic power are controlled by a small number of shareholders who own and
exercise tight control over a large number of corporations.
b
ANSWER:
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Responsibilities of Business
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Analytic
OTHER:
61. Analyze whether telling a lie is unethical in terms of each of the following ethical theories:
a. The deontological approach.
b. Utilitarianism.
c. Intuitionism and the "Television Test."
d. Ethical relativism.
e. Ethical fundamentalism.

ANSWER:

Answers will vary but should generally consider the following items in analyzing whether
telling a lie is unethical.

Immanuel Kant was a deontological theorist. Deontological theories in
general hold that certain underlying principles are right or wrong
irrespective of any pleasure or pain calculations. Deontologists believe
that actions cannot be measured simply by their results but must be
judged by the means and motives as well. To Kant, for an action to be
moral, it must: (1) be possible for it to be made into a universal law to be
applied consistently; and (2) respect the autonomy and rationality of all
human beings. It must not treat them as an expedient. Under his theory, it
would be immoral to lie to a colleague if one could not support the right of
all colleagues to lie to one another.
Utilitarianism assesses good and evil in terms of the consequences of the
action. Act utilitarianism assesses each separate act according to whether
it maximizes pleasure over pain. Under act utilitarianism, if telling a lie in a
particular situation will produce more overall pleasure than pain, then it is
ethical to lie. Rule utilitarianism holds that general rules must be
established and followed even though in some instances, following rules
may produce less overall pleasure than not following them. Whether
telling a lie in a given instance would produce greater pleasure than telling
the truth is less important to the rule utilitarian than deciding if a general
practice of lying would maximize society's pleasure. If lying would
maximize society's pleasure in general, then it is ethical, but if it would not
maximize society's general pleasure, it is not.
Intuitionism holds that a rational person possesses inherent powers to
assess the correctness of actions. It is possible to refine one's sense of
ethics by emulating the behavior of those individuals who always seem to
know what the right choice is in any given situation and who always seem
to do the right thing. The "Television Test" holds that a decision is
appropriate if the person making it would be comfortable with the decision
if it were broadcast on national television for all to witness. Thus, a lie
would be unethical if the public believed it to be unethical under the
circumstances.
Ethical relativism asserts that actions must be judged by what individuals
feel is right or wrong for themselves. It holds that morality is relative. In
most situations, ethical relativism would hold that lying is ethical if an
individual feels it is right.
Ethical fundamentalism looks to a central authority or set of rules to guide
its adherents in ethical decision-making. The central authority may be the
Bible, the Koran, or prophets or documents. Whether lying is unethical
would depend upon the particular source of authority used. Whatever that
source is would absolutely determine whether or under what
circumstances lying is ethical. Many ethical fundamentalists believe that
lying is always unethical. Others believe it is unethical in most, but not all,
circumstances. Whatever rule the central authority states would be
absolutely followed by an ethical fundamentalist.

62. Neal is the young, likable, optimistic, and generous son of a prominent public official. He has a master's degree in
business and is the business partner of Ken and Bill in an oil drilling and exploration business. Neal also serves as a
director on the board of the Bonanza Savings and Loan Association. While serving on the Bonanza Board, Neal votes to
approve major loans to Ken and Bill without disclosing to the other directors that he is a business partner of Ken and Bill.
Neal also personally arranges for a $900,000 line of credit from Bonanza for an oil drilling venture in which he is a
partner with Ken. The drilling venture is unsuccessful and Ken and Bill both default on their loans to Bonanza, which then
causes the S & L to become insolvent. Federal banking officials seize Bonanza and liquidate its assets to pay creditors and
depositors. Because Bonanza is federally insured, tax money is also used to pay off depositors whose deposits are insured
under federal programs. Bonanza shareholders lose their investment money. Was Neal's conduct as a director of Bonanza
ethical? Analyze his conduct in light of the following ethical theories:
a. Intuitionism and the "Television Test."
b. Milton Friedman's ideas on corporate governance.
c. Deontological theories.
d. Rule utilitarianism.
e. Ethical relativism.
ANSWER:
Student answers will vary greatly but should consider factors such as the following in
their analysis.

Intuitionism holds that a rational person possesses inherent powers to
assess the correctness of actions, and that an individual may refine and
strengthen these powers by emulating the behavior of "good persons"
who always seem to know the right choice in any given situation.
Although Neal is not a "bad" person, he should have sought the advice of
more experienced directors and of those who over the years have
established codes of conduct for corporate directors. The "Television
a. Test" holds that a decision is appropriate if the person making it would be
comfortable with the decision if it were broadcast on national television for
all to witness. Neal's actions would likely fail this test. He should have
disclosed his business ties with Bill and Ken to the other directors prior to
the board's discussion of the loans and to his acts on behalf of his
business partners. After disclosing his business ties, Neal should then
have refrained from voting on issues involving his business partners,
especially when there was a chance he might personally benefit from any
loans given to the two men.
Milton Friedman argues that businesses are artificial entities established
to permit people to engage in profit-making activities. The social
obligation of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders. Under
b. this analysis, Neal's obligation as a director is to make Bonanza as
profitable as possible in order to make money for its shareholders. Neal
fails this test, because his actions were intended to make money for
himself and his own business partners rather than for the Bonanza
shareholders.
Deontological theories hold that actions cannot be measured simply by
their results but must also be judged by their means and motives as well.
This type of analysis would have to analyze the motives behind Neal's
c. failure to disclose his business ties to Ken and Bill and the reasons for his
voting to give them loans. These motives are likely to involve some intent
to benefit himself as well as his business partners more than they are to
benefit the shareholders and depositors of Bonanza. Kant believed that

for an action to be moral, it must (1) be possible for it to be made a
universal law to be applied consistently; and (2) be respectful of the
autonomy and rationality of all human beings and not treat them as an
expedient. This type of analysis should consider Neal's actions in terms of
his duties to the shareholders and depositors of Bonanza as well as to
the taxpayers of the nation and to his business partners. Neal's actions
would likely be unethical under this type of analysis.
Utilitarianism assesses actions in terms of the consequences of those
actions. Rule utilitarianism holds that general rules must be established
and followed even though, in some instances, following the rules may
d. produce less overall pleasure than not following them. It supports rules
that on balance produce the greatest satisfaction. That type of analysis
makes Neal's actions unacceptable, because it caused more overall pain
and was calculated to lessen rather than to increase society's wealth.
Ethical relativism asserts that actions must be judged by what individuals
feel is right or wrong for themselves. It is difficult to judge Neal's actions
using this system, because if a person's actions are always correct for

that person, then his behavior is, by definition, moral and no one can
criticize it. Ethical relativism passes no judgment on what the person did
other than to determine that the person truly believed the decision was
right for him. This type of analysis would make Neal's actions ethical if he
thought they were right for him.

63. Compare the social ethics theories of distributive justice, libertarianism, and social egalitarianism. How are they alike?
How are they different? Explain your answer.
ANSWER:
Social ethics theories assert that special obligations arise from the social nature of human
beings. John Rawls is a leading proponent of distributive justice. His theory seeks to analyze
the type of society that people in a "natural state" would establish if they could not determine
in advance whether they would be talented, rich, healthy or ambitious relative to other
members of society. Rawls stresses "equality of opportunity." His theory is premised on
justice and the belief that everyone is entitled to a fair share in society, which all must work
to guarantee. Libertarians stress market outcomes as the basis for distributing society's
rewards. Adherents such as Robert Nozick stress liberty rather than justice as the most
important obligation that society owes its members. It is not unjust to a libertarian that some
people become wealthy while others have little or nothing. They oppose interference by
society in their lives. To a libertarian, it is unjust for society to take the wealth of one citizen
in order to distribute it to others who did not earn it. In contrast, social egalitarians believe
society should provide all persons with equal amounts of goods and services regardless of the
contribution each makes to increase society's wealth.
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics

64. Discuss each of the following ethical theories with regard to whether you accept or reject them for your own actions
and decisions.
a. Intuitionism and the "Television Test."
b. Rule utilitarianism.
c. Ethical relativism.
d. Ethical fundamentalism.
e. The deontological approach.
f. Milton Friedman's ideas on corporate governance.
ANSWER:
Of course, students' answers will vary. Each student should include a general discussion of
each of the ethical theories' salient points. More importantly, the students should explore their
own ethical approach. They could be encouraged to use examples to illustrate their points.
The students should be explicit in the reasoning as to why they accept one theory and reject
another. Students should be encouraged to not study these issues in a vacuum but to apply
what they are learning to their own lives.
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Theories
KEYWORDS:
Bloomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Evaluation
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Communication
OTHER:
65. Discuss which of the social ethics theories listed below you most agree with and why. Discuss your reasons for
disagreeing with the others.
a. Distributive justice
b. Social egalitarian
c. Libertarianism
ANSWER:
Students' answers will vary. The goal of this question is to have the students apply what they
are learning. The students can be encouraged to use examples from recent events as reported
by the media to illustrate their viewpoint. The students' discussion should be accurate as to
their description of the theory.

Distributive justice considers the needs and rights of all its members.
Harvard philosopher, John Rawls, proposed this theory. Such a society
a. would not be strictly egalitarian. Equality of opportunity would be stressed.
(1) This theory appeals to me because... or (2) This theory does not make
sense to me because...
Social egalitarians believe that society should provide all persons with
equal amounts of goods and services without regard to the contribution
b. each person makes to society. (1) This theory appeals to me because...
(2) This theory does not appeal to me because...
Libertarians focus on the marketplace as a determiner of what is best for
society. Libertarians believe in dealing honestly but believe in "the
c. survival of the fittest" as determined by the marketplace. (1) This theory
appeals to me because... (2) This theory does not appeal to me
because...

66. Through his observation of human behavior, psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed a model of moral
development. Describe the stages of moral development that were studied and developed by Kohlberg and the
relevance of this model for ethical business behavior.
ANSWER:
Kohlberg's first stage of moral development is the preconventional level. At this level a
person would be acting out of fear of punishment or pleasure of reward. In the business
setting, people would act ethically only out of fear that they would get caught and punished if
they did not act ethically. The ramification of this stage of moral development in the adult
businessperson is that if there was no realistic fear of being caught, unethical behavior might
become common. The person at this stage does not understand why their behavior is immoral
or moral.
Kohlberg's second stage of moral development is the conventional level. People at this level
conform their behavior to the expectations of the groups to which they belong. The
implication of this stage in the business arena is that if the group deems the action to be
ethical, then the individual in this stage will follow the group without an independent
evaluation of the situation. The example of Nazi Germany directly prior to and during WWII
is a chilling one. This is especially true since Kohlberg believes that most adults operate at
this level.
Kohlberg's third stage of moral development is the postconventional level. At this level the
individual understands the reasoning behind a particular moral principle. There is a voluntary
acceptance of the principles; moral principles are not external to the individual. The
implications of this in business are that the individual would make independent judgments of
particular ethical dilemmas. Corporate decisions would not necessarily be followed simply
out of a sense of loyalty or group expectation.
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Ethical Standards in Business
Bloomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: Synthesis
KEYWORDS:
OTHER:
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Communication
67. Discuss the arguments for and against businesses' involvement in socially responsible activities.
ANSWER:
The prime responsibility of business is to make a reasonable return on its investment by
producing a quality product at a reasonable price. Businesses are not to be charitable
institutions. However, those who favor social responsibility of business use the arguments
of a social contract, less government regulation, and long-run profits. The social contract
argument is that, because society allows for the creation of corporations and gives them
special rights, including a grant of limited liability, corporations owe a responsibility to
society. The government regulation argument is that, by taking a more proactive role in
addressing society's problems, corporations create a climate of trust and respect that has the
effect of reducing government regulation. The long-run profit argument is that corporate

involvement in social causes creates goodwill, which just makes good business sense. Those
who do not favor corporate involvement in socially responsible activities use the arguments
of profitability, unfairness, accountability, and expertise. The argument regarding
profitability is that, because corporations are artificial entities established for profit-making
activities, their only social obligation should be to return as much money as possible to
shareholders. The unfairness argument is that whenever corporations engage in social
activities, they divert funds rightfully belonging to shareholders and/or employees to
unrelated third parties. Corporations are private institutions that are subject to a lower
standard of accountability than are public bodies. Substantial potential for abuse exists where
a company may decide to support a wide range of social causes and yet submit to little public
scrutiny. The expertise argument is that, although a corporation may have a high level of
expertise in selling its goods and services, there is no guarantee that any promotion of social
activities will be carried on with the same degree of competence.
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
STATE STANDARDS:
TOPICS:
KEYWORDS:
OTHER:

68. Define business ethics and give some examples of the types of situations in which ethical issues might arise in a
business setting.
ANSWER:
Business ethics is a subset of ethics and a branch of applied ethics. It is the study and
determination of what is right and good in business settings. Business ethics seeks to
understand the moral issues that arise from business practices, institutions, and decision
making. Issues of business ethics might arise in the employment relationship (safety,
compensation of employees, privacy, equal treatment, freedom from sexual harassment,
whistle-blowing), in the relationship between a business and its customers (marketing
techniques, product safety, consumer protection), the relationship between a business and its
owners (corporate governance, shareholder voting, management’s duties to shareholders), the
relationship among competing businesses (fair competition, effects of collusion), the
interaction between business and society (pollution, commitment to the community’s
infrastructure, depletion of natural resources), and international relations (bribery of foreign
officials, exploitation of less-developed countries, conflicts among different cultures and
value systems).
1
POINTS:
DIFFICULTY:
Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: EBLE.MANN.16.02.01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States - BUSPROG: Ethics
STATE STANDARDS:
United States - OH - AICPA: BB-Legal
TOPICS:
A-Head: Law versus Ethics
KEYWORDS:
Bloom’s: Analysis
AACSB Ethics | AACSB Communication
OTHER: